Edward p



E. P. EASTWICK, Jr. GAR COUPLING.

Patented May 24-, 1892] IIVVENTOI? By 6? ATTOfl/VELS (No Model.)

WITNESSES:

aw 6. zeod UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDVARD P. EASTWICK, JR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 475,682, dated May 24, 1892.

Application filed July 7, 1891.

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD P. EASTWICK, Jr., of New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Oar-Couplers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in car-couplers of the vertical-plane type, and has for its object to provide a buffing-surface for the knuckle within the draw-head by providing a separate movable buffing plate adapted to overlie a fixed posterior buffing lug or lugs or other stationary surface in the shank of the coupler, and also to provide a means whereby the movable buffing plate or surface may be cushioned and the force of the buffing strain thus mitigated and the shock to the draw-baran d the car consequent upon coupling lessened.

A further object of the invention is to provide in connection with the draw-head a headless locking-pin, whereby the pin will drop to its seat in the draw-head, no matter whether or not the mouth of the opening in which the pin slides be surrounded with snow or ice.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafterfully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a partial plan View and partial horizontal section through a draw-bar having the improvement applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the draw-bar. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken, practically, on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. t is a similar section taken practically on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2 and through the draw-head, showing the locking-pin in side elevation.

The draw-head A of the draw-bar may be of any approved formation, the head shown in the drawings being of the vertical-plane type provided with a pivoted knuckle B. The buffing-surface is adapted to be engaged by the inner end of the knuckle when the knuckle is in a coupled position.

Serial No. 3953,6 11. (No model.)

. Within the shank C of the draw-bar a lug or lugs or a partition 10 is located, a partition being illustrated in the drawings. When a partition is employed, it is provided with an aperture through which a stem 11, attached to or integral with a buffing-plate 12, passes, the said stem having free movement in the said aperture or opening in the partition. The partitions, lugs, or equivalent supports employed are located a proper distance back of the draw-head, and the butting-plate 12 is independent of both the draw-head and the shank and is adapted to slide freely in the latter. The stem 11 of the buffing-plate is preferably integral with the central portion of its rear face, and a cotter-pin 13, or the equivalent thereof, is passed through the rear end of the stem back of the partition 10. Preferably the buffing-plate 12 is cushioned, and this is usually effected by locating within the space intervening the plate and the partition a spring 14, of any approved construction, the spring shown being coiled around the stem of the buffing-plate. One end of the spring has a hearing against the rear face of the bufting plate and the other end rests against the front face of the partition 10 or the lug or lugs, when such are employed, as a substitute for the partition. Bythis arrangement the force of the buffing strain, as heretofore stated, is mitigated and the shock to the draw-head and car in the process of coupling is materially lessened. The spring, when employed, also has another function, as it tends to throw the knuckleB out of the coupling position as soon as the coupling-pin D is elevated, thus rendering the act of coupling very expeditious, and at the same time that the coupling-pin is elevated the tension of the spring upon the inner end of the knuckle will force said inner end, which is called a wing, in a suitable recess ordinarily produced in the coupling-pin to maintain said pin elevated.

I-Ieretofore coupling or looking pins have been constructed with a flange or head at their upper ends, which flange or head is adapted to limit the downward fall of the pin. In climates where ice and snow are frequent the ice and snow forming around the mouth of the pin-opening prevent the pin from dropping down properly in its seat, and thereby ICO jeopardizes a proper coupling, as the head or flange of the pin will, when the pin is permitted to fall, rest upon the top of the embanked snow or ice, and the pin will consequently be prevented from dropping within the draw-head a distance equal to the depth of the matter surrounding the pin-opening. This defect Iobviate by making the coupling or locking pin D headless and providing the pin with a recess (Z in one side at its lower end, forming a shoulder adapted to be seated in the bottom wall of the draw-head, as is shown in Fig. 5. The upward movement of the locking-pin is preferably limited by placing a cotter-pin d or its equivalent in it immediately above its shoulder, which cotterpin Will engage with the upper wall of the draw-head when the locking-pin is lifted.

It; is evident that when the head is omitted from the locking-pin there will be no projections that will interfere with its proper move-. ment, although the mouth of the opening in which the pin slides be surrounded to a great depth with snow, ice, or other obstruction.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a car-coupler of the vertical-plane type, a draw-bar provided with an interior movable buffing plate or surface located in the line of butting force and adapted to be engaged by the knuckle of the draw-bar, substantially as described.

erases;

2. In a ear-coupler of the vertical-plane type, a draw-bar provided with a spring con trolled tnovablebutting plate or surface adapted for engagement by the knuckle of the coupler, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a car-coupler of the vertical-plane type, the combination, with a fixed buffingsurface located within the shank, of a movable buffing plate or surface overlying the fixed surface, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a car-coupling of the vertical-plane type, the combination, with the draw-bar provided with a fixed butting-surface located within its shank, of a cushioned movable buffing plate or surface overlying the fixed butting-surface and adapted to be engaged by the knuckle of the coupler, as set forth.

5. In a car-coupler of the vertical-plane type, the combination, with a draw-bar and its pin-openings, the said bar being provided with a recess near the upper margin of the lower pin-opening, of a headless coupling-pin provided witha shoulder entering the said recess, whereby a solid bearing for the pin is obtained and its downward movement limited, the pin being also provided with projections above its shoulder, limiting its upward movement, substantially as described.

EDW. P. EASTWIOK, JR.

Witnesses:

J. F. ACKER, J r., M. J. EASTWIOK. 

